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MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• Israeli targeting of the Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon continued overnight, with airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs reported to have killed at least three people. [more]
• Amidst ongoing U.S. airstrikes on Houthi rebel positions in Yemen, the rebel group claimed today to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. U.S. military officials said they were aware of the Houthi claim, but declined to comment further. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1132 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested yesterday that cease-fire and peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine will be a "drawn-out process." The statement followed expressions of frustration by U.S. President Donald Trump over what he has seen as unnecessary delays in the peace negotiations. [more]
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that Russian troops have committed more than 183,000 documented war crimes since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, and called for "effective international law to guarantee the protection of our people and all European society from such threats." [more]

U.S. DEPORTATIONS | In a court filing yesterday, Trump administration officials said Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father with protected legal status, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in mid-March along with hundreds of suspected Venezuelan gang members. Government attorneys further claimed that U.S. courts lack jurisdiction to order Garcia’s return from the Salvadoran prison where he is being held. [full court filing] [more]

U.S. TARIFFS | President Donald Trump is expected to announce sweeping new tariffs on imports from other countries tomorrow in what the president has called America's "Liberation Day." White House officials have not announced the specifics of the Trump tariff plan, but have said they are expected to include at least some so-called reciprocal tariffs to match duties that other countries place on U.S. goods. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday that the E.U. has a "strong plan" for retaliating against new U.S. tariffs, if necessary. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | High-profile elections in Wisconsin and Florida today are widely seen as an indicator of how voters feel about the first few months of the Trump administration. Wisconsin voters will choose a new state Supreme Court justice, while Florida residents will choose Congressional representatives to fill the seats left vacant by Trump administration national security advisor Michael Waltz and former Trump attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz. [more]

U.S. SENATE | New Jersey Senator Cory Booker has been speaking on the Senate floor almost continuously since 7pm last night and vowed to continue his non-stop effort protesting various Trump administration policies for as long as he is physically able to do so. [more]

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT | In a newly released memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will offer a new round of voluntary resignations and early retirements to civilian employees as part of efforts to cut 50,000-60,000 civilian jobs from the department. [more]

ALABAMA | A federal judge ruled yesterday that Alabama’s attorney general cannot prosecute people and groups who help residents of the state travel to other states to obtain abortions, saying in her ruling that such prosecutions would violate both the First Amendment and a person’s right to travel. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | The Pentagon confirmed yesterday that three U.S. soldiers who went missing during a NATO training exercise in Lithuania last week have been found dead in their submerged armored vehicle in a swampy area near the town of Pabradė. A fourth soldier assigned to the vehicle has not been located. [more]

U.S. ENTERTAINMENT | President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday aimed at combatting ticket price gouging by scalpers and ensuring price transparency for ticket purchases for live entertainment events. Entertainer Kid Rock joined Trump in the Oval Office for the signing. [full executive order] [more]

TAIWAN AND CHINA | The Chinese military announced large-scale military drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan today and said the exercises are intended to be a “severe warning” against the self-ruled island territory seeking formal independence. Taiwanese officials said the Chinese military action threatens peace in the Taiwan Strait and undermines regional security. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | South Korea’s Constitutional Court said today that it will rule Friday on whether to uphold the legislative impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Reports note that if the impeachment is upheld, a presidential election must be held within two months. [more]

MYANMAR | In a televised address today, Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing said that the death toll from Friday's 7.7-magnitude earthquake in the country has surpassed 2,700 and is expected to rise. [more]

MALAYSIA | Local authorities say at least 112 people were injured, and 49 houses were damaged, today when a fire caused by a burst gas pipe spread to several homes in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Selangor. [more]

FRANCE | Leaders of France's far-right National Rally party called on French citizens to demonstrate this weekend against a court ruling yesterday that banned Marine Le Pen from running for office for five years as part of her punishment after being found guilty of embezzling European Union funds. [more]

MORTGAGE INDUSTRY | Mortgage company Rocket has announced its $9.4 billion purchase of competitor Mr. Cooper – creating a combined company representing about one in every six mortgages in the U.S., according to reports. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | Teams in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament have been set, with Texas, South Carolina, UCLA, and UConn competing on Friday for a spot in the national championship game on Sunday. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple Computer Company, which became, and remains, one of the world’s leading tech companies. [more history]